Sleeves get specified like boxes and they are not boxes. A sleeve is a band of board with no top or bottom, and its dimensions are derived from the item it wraps rather than from a product cavity. If you have been given a sleeve size as three numbers, ask what they refer to, because that is where sleeve orders usually go wrong.
The girth calculation
For a sleeve wrapping a rectangular tray, the flat blank length is:
(2 x tray width) + (2 x tray depth) + fit tolerance + glue lap
The sleeve height is a separate number, usually a little less than the tray height. Three things get added on top of the raw maths:
- Fit tolerance. The sleeve has to pass over the tray without scuffing it. Tolerance grows with the caliper of the tray board and with any lamination or texture on either surface.
- Glue lap. The overlap where the sleeve is glued into a loop. It sits inside, so keep artwork clear of it.
- Corner radius. Board does not fold to a mathematical point. Thicker board rounds the corner and effectively shortens the girth, which is why thick sleeves need more tolerance than thin ones.
Fit, and how to test it before tooling
| Symptom | Cause | Fix on the dieline |
|---|---|---|
| Sleeve will not go on | Tolerance too small for the board caliper | Add girth, not height |
| Sleeve slides off in a bag | Too much tolerance, or a slippery laminate on both faces | Reduce girth slightly, or change one surface finish |
| Sleeve scuffs the tray | Tight fit plus a soft touch or uncoated tray surface | Add tolerance and reconsider the tray finish |
| Sleeve twists on the tray | Sleeve height too short relative to the tray | Increase sleeve height |
The cheapest way to settle this is to look at it before the die is cut. Ask for the dieline and the fit tolerance in writing on your quote, and check them against the tray you actually have.
Sleeve or full box
A sleeve saves board and gives you a printable band around a plain tray, which is why it is popular for gift sets, subscription boxes and anything with a visible product. It gives you less protection than a closed box, less tamper evidence, and it will not survive shipping on its own. If the pack ships direct to a consumer without an outer carton, a closed construction such as a seal end box is usually the safer choice.
Ordering sleeves
The minimum is 100 units per design. Because sleeves and trays are two separate dielines, quote them together: they have to be designed as a pair or the fit tolerance is guesswork. The die, the plates, design support, US shipping and a digital proof before printing are included, so quoting both parts does not double your setup.
Pricing starts from about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes and is confirmed on your written quote. Turnaround is stated per product across three lanes: rush is expedited production plus air freight, standard is air, cost saver is sea. The floor is from about 7 business days plus 2 to 5 for delivery, and specialty imported items can run up to about 12 weeks. Rush carries a premium of about 7 to 25% depending on the job.
Send your tray dimensions, board caliper and finish through the quote form and we will come back with sleeve girth, height and tolerance rather than asking you to calculate it.
